Time
by The Crimson Wing
Summary: To those with little of it, even a minute amount of time is precious. Kankuro knows this from experience. Shikamaru wants to change that.


**AN**- Hello there, welcome to another TOTALLY CANNON PLAUSIBILITY story of mine!

This one is dedicated to Celtic Warrior (-worship/stalk/worship-) because we were talking about it and…just… It is, the coolness radiates from them yo, check it out!

Oh god I just started talking like Reno…

**Bitching notice because I'm irritated with an ignorant asshole: **To CocoaKitty out there, the most WONDERFUL idiot ever… It's REVIEWING, not FLAMING. Criticism is only that when it is both ways, you point out the good and bad. And you made some dumbass points for my Lunamaru, some of those weren't even viable as bitch points. Yes, I am going to be bitching about this for a while in every author note I remember. -Smile- They're lucky they have no stories for me to RIP APART BRUTALLY because, whether I like my writing or not, I'm pretty good at being a bitch about everything. -Smirks and trots away- Sorry about that...I just really hate people who tear others down for no good reason.

**WARNING**- Yaoi. No shit. If you haven't figured it out that I'm a yaoi fanatic that…well… go take a glance at some of my other stories -Wicked grin-

**Disclaimer**- WOW, SAKURA FINALLY DIED! …Not. So it's not mine then.

* * *

**_Time_ **

Three hours. Kankuro sighed and turned his gaze away from the clock. Three hours until they would have to force themselves to be apart. But that was three hours from now and to those who have little of it, that would be plenty of time.

The smaller, lean body on the Puppet Master's torso stirred after a moment, the chin settling on the broad chest displayed to it before lazy brown eyes rolled upwards to meet forest green. A smirk was shared among them, both bordering on smiles of contentment but not quite as it might wreck their delicate reputations should the other accuse them of being soft. Of course, seeing as the situation they were in had to be confidential anyway it didn't matter much.

"Shikamaru," Kankuro growled in an almost-but-not-quite affectionate manner.

When had this all started? The older nin wondered upon this as the smaller male gave a yawn and curled against his chest more tightly, emitting a rumbling chuckle. On his part none of this affection had been intentional but now it was there and wasn't ready to be banished so easily. It made him wonder if that had been Shikamaru's intention all along.

Three months before (or was it seven? Kankuro couldn't remember anymore) Shikamaru had been transferred to Sunagakure with Rock Lee as sort of 'live in allies' or something that the allied Kages had decided upon. Naturally this had made Temari who was infatuated with the shadow user ecstatic, even more so when Gaara graciously offered for the pair of them to stay in the massive mansion that he and his siblings resided in.

Kankuro knew better then to think that it was only for Temari's benefit. He and Gaara spoke often now that the red head had mellowed out a bit and the older sand sibling had learned of the relationship that was not-quite-a-secret between the Green Beast and the Kazekage. Still, for both parties it worked out for the better; the oldest sibling got to nag Shikamaru whenever she pleased and the youngest sibling got to see his lover without the long trips.

Leaving Kankuro to himself. Not that he minded or was lonely…much.

Then, after about a week, Kankuro found himself not quite enjoying only his own company, but another in the form of Shikamaru hiding from Temari. Of course he wouldn't admit that he was hiding as that would make him seem girly or afraid, but that was pretty much what he was doing under claim that 'she was driving him insane with her constant clinging'. So Kankuro would take him out drinking on occasion, or other times they would just lounge around watching movies, or even more often just sit and chat until Temari finally found them and dragged the Shadow User away.

Even Kankuro admitted it was nice. Only once though when he was really drunk. And he hadn't actually really SAID it either, only that it was cool having Shikamaru around, not like he'd come out with an outright love confession or anything.

After three weeks of this, the puppet master started to notice an odd, curdling, lurching feeling in his gut whenever he saw Temari hanging all over Shikamaru, a hollowness in his chest. He passed it off as coming down with something, naturally. It wasn't like he'd fallen for the Shadow Nin or anything…right? Right.

Kankuro was trying to convince himself of this a few days after the feeling started to appear when IT happened.

He sat sprawled on one end of one couches, Shikamaru and Temari bickering on the other. Well, Temari was bickering, Shikamaru was only giving non-committal grunts as if replying was too troublesome. Knowing the lazy nin, it probably was. After a few minutes the oldest sand sibling let out a breath of frustration, throwing her hands to the sky and stomping out.

"Smooth," Kankuro drawled, unable to keep the smirk from his lips.

Across from him Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Tch, wonder if she'll ever get the hint that I'm not interested."

For some reason this seemed to stab at the part of Kankuro he denied, the part that was attracted to the lazy nin. Coincidentally, this had become a rather large part of him due to his increased time with the shadow wielder and it was therefore very easy for it to darken his vision and encompass any and all restraint he had forced upon himself. Emotion strangled reason into a bloody pulp and he stood, rounding the small table that barred the space between the couches and crouching down, fisting a hand in Shikamaru's shirt.

To his credit the Shadow User hadn't been too lazy to look mildly surprised.

"What?" Shikamaru asked after a moment of tense silence. Kankuro sat frozen for an instant, hard forest green eyes on warm caramel. A little smirk crept up the younger male's features and he leaned forward, fisting a hand in Kankuro's jacket and jerking him forward. "Feeling possessive?"

Another moment's silence before Kankuro growled, "Damn straight," and kissed the other nin,

That had been the first time. It certainly hadn't been the last though, or the full extent to which they had gone.

But thinking wasn't getting Kankuro anywhere. Well, not at the moment anyway. He leered down at the form curled atop him and, as if feeling the eyes on him, Shikamaru mumbled incoherently in his doze and curled his fingers about the torso of the older male, letting out a sigh that was pure contentment. It was a rare noise, one that he would only allow himself after he was physically spent or in the state of rest that bordered on slumber. In all truth it was a rather cute noise.

He sighed softly and shook his head. What had he gotten himself into?

"Idiot," Kankuro mumbled. Affection traced heavily in his voice and he settled a large hand atop Shikamaru's head, fingers brushing through the spiky pony tail. "What're we going to do?"

Because that was just the problem, the reason for Kankuro's thinking. He was beyond rescuing with the shadow user- he was gone, over the edge, in freaking love, but there was still the problem with Temari. She didn't know and if she found out by walking in on them, she'd blame it all on Kankuro and be pissed at him for weeks. But like HELL he was going to admit it to her and Shikamaru labeled it 'too troublesome'. What was worse, aforementioned lazy nin was getting more daring and things were just escalating to boiling.

Something had to be done and soon or something really bad was bound to happen.

"Shikamaru," he mumbled quietly to the half-sleeping form curled atop him. The leaf nin made an indistinct noise but refused to yield his comfortable position. Had he the will, Kankuro would have laughed. "Come on Shika, get up."

After a discontent moment and an equally irritable noise Shikamaru rose his head, propping it on Kankuro's chest with a mild pout that remained from his interrupted dreams. He gave him a look that clearly said 'you're too damned cautious' but did not remove himself from his position, only allowed his eyes to half lid. The Puppet Master sighed ever so quietly and decided to allow them another moment. Besides, it was still two hours until Temari was to return home, she was never THAT early.

They sat in the silence for a few minutes, Shikamaru clinging just barely to that line between consciousness and sleep, the even breathing causing his bare chest to rise and fall in rhythm with Kankuro's. It was like there was nothing in the world but them, neither worrying much about the fact that Gaara or Lee had the opportunity to stumble in on them. After all, the moment this had begun Gaara had flatly told Kankuro that he 'better keep it down with Shikamaru or suffer the consequences'.

After which he'd dragged Lee who was blushing to the roots of his hair down the hallway and hid in the bedroom.

Their silence was wrecked by sudden, quick footsteps coming down the hallway. Kankuro's gaze widened and he uttered a soft hiss of alarm. No one else walked like that sort of purpose in their stride. Gaara was much slower and even when he wasn't his footfalls were softer. Lee was just a lot faster in his walking and made barely any noise. There was no mistaking that it was his sister.

"Move," Kankuro hissed urgently, but Shikamaru was giving him a stare, a calculating stare that the puppet master had learned to associate with either really brilliant or really stupid ideas. The feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach told him it was the latter. "Shikamaru," he said suddenly as the thought of what the shadow nin was going to do suddenly struck him, "don't you dare!"

Too late though. The door was popping open and Shikamaru had sat up, jerking Kankuro with him and smothering the older male's lips in a kiss before he could react. In the doorway, to the Puppet Master's utter dread, stood Temari, frozen, eyes widened in surprise. She still had a hold on the handle of the door as if too stunned to let go, completely immobilized.

In a quick burst Kankuro pushed Shikamaru away, ignoring the fiendish smirk he got from the Shadow User and whipping around to stare at Temari. Saying 'I can explain' would make matters much worse and nothing else was coming to mind so he simply sat, gaping at his sister as she gaped. What was there to say? Oh, your love interest and I have been kinda sorta dating since he's moved here didn't seem like it would go over well.

Okay, he knew for damn certain it wouldn't go over well.

"Erm," he finally said intelligently. The silence was just too much for him to handle and if he was going to get throttled he wanted to get it over with and at least say his bit. "What a coincidence. I was just thinking of a few ways to tell you…" He trailed off as her lips pursed in a fine line and her hand rose, effectively telling him to 'shut up before you dig your own grave'.

He had been very good at doing that lately.

She took a few slow, deep breaths yet somehow didn't look as infuriated as she should have. Her keen gaze settled on his and she seemed to burn holes right into his soul with that piercing stare, nearly causing him to flinch. Oh the power older sisters wielded in their hands- Kankuro sometimes envied Gaara and the fact that he'd been left out of most of the sibling quarrels.

"Don't try to explain," she said, voice steady, unwavering as it always was. No tears filled her eyes and the set of her jaw was actually relaxed, gaze on Kankuro's. "At this point, I don't care."

Shikamaru uncurled from his position on his back to lean into the arm of the couch, arching a slender brow. It was almost an act of defiance, as if daring her to rant and scream and Kankuro had no desire other then to cuff the lazy nin about the head. This was bad enough as it was. How could she have been home so early?

He wisely kept his mouth shut, just in case she was waiting for him to ask a stupid question.

Temari stood very quiet for a moment, her eyes swiveling to the clock on the wall. A puzzled expression rested there before a flutter of understanding lilted her brilliant gaze. One hand found its way to her hip and she glowered at Shikamaru as she spoke. "You're lucky I was just coming to tell you I've lost interest."

The puppet master gaped and, before he could stop himself, leaned forward eagerly. "Who?"

A flush kissed her cheeks and she mumbled something; all Kankuro could pick up was a 't' somewhere in there, but he didn't ask again, still wary of her wrath. "So go back to…whatever. I'll beat the hell out of you later, I have a date." She turned and paused in the doorway. "Oh and Kankuro… Get that clock changed, it's an hour behind."

For a while after the door closed they sat in silence, Kankuro staring at Shikamaru with a cross between horror, anger, and utter shock. The lazy nin lay back on the arm of the couch with a rather cat like expression and letting Kankuro know full well what he'd done. Why he'd done it was the bit of mystery there, but the puppet master was too stunned to explore it further at the moment.

Finally Shikamaru crawled across the couch, sliding between Kankuro's legs to lay on him and press a languid kiss to his lips. His gaze fluttered upwards in one of those coy manners that always made Kankuro just _itch_ before he mumbled, "Your emotions are so troublesome sometimes."

That effectively broke the puppet master's will to throttle him and, as forest green eyes met mocha and the shadow nin was hauled up for another, less chaste, kiss only one thought ran through Kankuro's mind. 'Hell, now that that's over with I'll have all the time I need to kill him. Later.'

-Owari-

* * *

I don't like this much I'm pretty sure the flow of things sucks…. But I wanted to write something. More things coming soon! Like Gone Wrong chapter WHATEVER THE HELL IT IS! x3 Yeah, I've been thinking about it but I haven't even written a single sentence. Oops. 


End file.
